The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in English language arts. The lowest is 4% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Franklin Middle
Franklin Middle serves students in grades six through eight and is a regular public school within the Baltimore County Public Schools system. It sits in the center of Reisterstown, a residential suburb of Baltimore that retains a historic core along Main Street. The school building itself anchors community life: the Reisterstown Farmers Market sets up outside its doors on Sundays, and Friday night concerts and the annual Bloomin’ ArtsFest are held on its grounds. The former Franklin Academy, now a public library, stands across the street. For a family looking at this school, the immediate impression is of a school that functions as a civic hub in a town where schools, library, and community events cluster together rather than sit on separated campuses.
Academically, the picture is one that parents will want to examine closely. On the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP), the share of students scoring proficient or above in mathematics was very low across all three grades. In sixth grade it was in the single digits, in seventh grade it was lower still, and in eighth grade it was under a single percent. English language arts results were higher but still below what many families would hope for: roughly a quarter of sixth graders reached proficiency, rising to about a third in seventh and eighth grades. On the eighth-grade science assessment (MISA), about one in five students scored proficient or above, and on the social studies MCAP roughly a quarter did. The only multi-year trend data available is a single year, so there is no trajectory to evaluate. The school also reports results for Algebra I and Geometry, taken by students who are accelerated; proficiency on those tests was modest, with a share above the regular math rate for Algebra I and a smaller share for Geometry. Taken together, the academic proficiency rates point to a school where most students are not meeting grade-level benchmarks, particularly in mathematics. A parent considering Franklin Middle should follow up directly with the school about its approach to math instruction, intervention supports, and any recent changes aimed at raising achievement.
The student body is large for a middle school and economically diverse. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Racially and ethnically, the school’s enrollment is predominantly Black, with a sizable Hispanic population and smaller shares of white, Asian, and multiracial students. Information on special education services and English learner programs was not available in the data. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, or staffing ratios were provided, so those are gaps a family would need to fill by asking the school or district directly.
Reisterstown itself is a built-out community that grew rapidly through the postwar decades and has since slowed. There are no large new housing developments reported, and the housing stock within the census-designated place is essentially mature. Home values in the area are slightly below the Maryland statewide benchmark, and rents have been rising. The broader Baltimore County district recently adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum grounded in the science of reading, implemented a district-wide cell phone policy restricting phone use during instructional time, and is working toward the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, which expands pre-K and increases teacher salaries. Approved boundary changes for high school feeder patterns (Hereford, Dulaney, and Loch Raven) take effect in the 2025-2026 school year, but Franklin Middle’s own feeder zone was not mentioned in the boundary study materials. Voters also approved a bond issue for school security upgrades, which may affect the physical environment at Franklin Middle, though specific improvements at this school are not listed.
Because the school does not serve high school grades, graduation rate data does not apply. No program offerings such as magnet, gifted, or career pathways were reported in the data. For a family, Franklin Middle represents a school in a close-knit, historic suburban setting where civic life revolves around the school grounds, but where academic performance, especially in math, is an area of serious concern that warrants direct inquiry. The gaps in available data mean that many questions about discipline climate, staff experience, and enrichment opportunities will need to be answered by visiting the school and talking to administrators and teachers.
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